Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 38696, Seth Fisher, R.I.

SERVICE
NUMBER
RJ
Fisher, Seth
J 38696
CONTENTS

(235)
Rhode Island.
Seth Fisher, Capt Left. Sergeant 4
Rhode Island Line
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 31 st of March, 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16 th of Sept 1818 and sent to Benjamin Howell Esq Providence Rhode Island.
  Arrears to 4th of Sept 1818. 5. 1/30 41. 31   Semi-ann. all ce ending 1 st Nov 1819. 48. 00   $89. 31 
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }
7 Years
C. R.

Seth Fisher David Howell, Esq., Judge, Providence, Rhode- Island.
Seth Fisher, Sergeant, Rhode-Island line, Revolutionary claim, found on the rolls.
See endorsement in the case of John Usher.
Correct

To The Honorable David Howell Judge of the District Court of the United States for Rhode Island District respectfully represents -
Seth Fisher of Providence in said District that he enlisted as a sergeant in Capt Silas Talbott's company 1st Christopher Green's regim- ent on the 26 th day of April 1777 - of the army of the country of the United States in the Rhode Island line, in which service he contin- ued until the 15 th June 1783 when he was discharged - at which time he belonged to Capt Daniel S. Dexter's company & Col. Jeremiah Olney's regiment in said Rhode Island line, he would further represent that he is now in indigent circumstances & stands in need of the assistance of his country according to the late act of Congress - entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war - His discharge was put into the hands of the Hon. T. Foster to obtain his land, and is lost.
1/4 Rhode Island District March 31. 1810.
Sworn to before David Howell To District Judge.
The Hon: John C. Calhoun Secretary of War.

Rhode Island District In Providence this 21st day of March 1811
I hereby certify that the signature of the Judge and the seal of the District Court of the United States for said District are here affixed Witness Benjamin Russell Clerk of said Court
Let it be known David Howell, Esq; Judge, Rhode- Island.
Seth Fisher, Sergeant, Rhode-Island Line, Revolutionary Claim, found on the rolls.
See endorsement in the case of John Warner.

South Fishes
Q 351
March 1891
C
B. South Fishes
Rowden
R. L.
23 23 rd Apr 1921

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT.
It is Circuit Court District Court, December — Term, A D, 1820.
On this Sixteenth day of December 1820, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record within and for Said District — Seth Fisher — aged 66 years, residing in the town of Middletown — in said Bristol County — who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows:
That he served more than seven years in Col Green's Col Cavalry Regiment of the Rhode Island Line that he made a previous declaration on the Sixteenth day of March 1818, and that he has received a certificate for a pension, being No. 2351 — And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the revolutionary war," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen: that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.
Seth Fisher
A SCHEDULE of Property and Income (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) of
Seth Fisher by some few articles of Household Furniture viz 6 Chairs & 1 bed & Table, some linen, jars, 1 Set of Knives, etc. than the above he has no other of any description except as above excepted. Since this declaration further saith that he is in a way of occupation but he can do but little at that business, being now so old and infirm that he cannot go along on legs - having also lost the use of two fingers on his right hand, that he is greatly involved in debt; that he now owns just more than four hundred dollars; that he has a wife aged fifty nine years, a weakly woman, the last year having one & one daughter aged 22 who is very weakly and unable to help herself - has been so for the last five years under these unfavorable circumstances he must depend on charity if his pension is taken away.
Sworn to and declared in Open Court — on the Sixteenth day of December 1820 before
Abiah Benjamin Council Clk
RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT.
Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court, A. D. 1820
I Benjamin Council — Clerk of said Court — do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath, and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule, is Ten — dollars and 00 cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and a fixed the seal of the said Court, on this Twenty first day of November 1820.
Benjamin Council Clerk of said Court.

38 696
INVALID.
Recy
File No. 38 69
Keith Fisher
Sergt Rev War
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index:—Vol. 3 , Page 170
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Honorable John C. Calhoun
Secy of War
Washington D.C.

Providence 3 d August 1818
Hon John C. Calhoun
Sir
I again enclose the application of Seth Fisher - also the application of John Howland for pension under the act of the 18th March last by order of the Hon David Howland with great respect I am
Yours
Benjamin Cowen W. R. I. Dis

We the Subscribers being Well acquainted with Seth Fisher of Providence in the State of Rhode Island, do Verely believe him to be Now Poor, and in Indigent Circumstances, We Have known him More than Ten years last past and Have always found him an Industrious, Steady Man Depending upon his daily Labour for Subsistence for himself and a Large Family, but None to give him Any Assistance. Providence 8 th August 1818
Benj. Clifford Joshua Warren Mrs. Church Caleb Mawman  C. C. Mawman Richmond Bullock Ira Winson Isaac Drown Jr. John Gailile

Providence 3 d August 1818,
To the Hon: J. C. Calhoun Secretary of War
Sir: Fisher — for the benefit of the act 18 th March 1818
The statute required the applicant to make affidavit to the premises; but it did not require him to make oath to his poverty — In pursuance of the requisition from the War office, I have, in every instance, since that requisition, was known to me, administered to the applicant an oath to prove his poverty — I hoped that some weight would have been attached to this oath. The party being made a witness by Government, the in his own cause, may receive credit when he is not encountered by contrary presumptions, or proof.
In every case where my mind was not satisfied by my own knowledge of the applicant, by his appearance, information, and his oath, I have required other information, or proof. — In this case Seth Fisher appears, by his statement, to belong to this town; He was too notoriously poor for me to put him on any other proof of his circumstances. — They are stated in a paper herewith enclosed, signed by some of the principal inhabitants of this town, which I hope will afford satisfactory evidence.

The statute, in my opinion does not require the Judge to certify any thing but the evidence — "the testimony and the proceedings" He is not in sending forward the application and evidence is proof positive that he is satisfied with the proof made out by the applicant to entitle him to the benefit of the act; — or of his own indiscretion.
If every case is to be sent back where I have not particularly expressed that I was satisfied that the applicant was in reduced circumstances and stood in need of the assistance of his country for support it will give me unnecessary trouble which a more timely notification from the War office would have prevented.
David Howell,
Howells certificates
Judge

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Fisher, Thomas GRADE Private LINE Massachusetts
WARRANT NUMBER 4138 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Sept. 13, 1792 To Jonathan Jenks
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.